and their lawfull Princes he will not only pardon without exception but he will abette them in their deuilish deuised and perswade them forward in their damnable courses till at last when it is too late for them to repent they will if they take not good héed in time féele the â—â—art of it in hell tormentes together for euer What the religon of Rome is may appéere by this that any man for monie may get a pardoÌ„ for his sins then what sin néed rich men feare to commit when a Popes pardon will saiue all or how can it be otherwise than a religion of licentiousnes when for mony a man may haue a licence of dispensation against any sin whatsoeuer These things be such open blottes to the Romish religion as that worthily euery good and godly minde hath it in detestation doth iustly condemne it Yet further will I prooue that the Church of Rome cannot be the true Church possibly 1 The Church of Rome doth hold that the diuine and sacred Scriptures doo not containe all things necessarie to saluation but their vnwritten traditions must forsooth all bée receiued with equall and lyke authoritie for so hath theyr Councell of Trent determined And Pope Leâ— the fourth feareth not to pronounce with a loud voice That hee that receyueth not without difference the Popish Cannons as well as the foure Gospels beleeueth not aright nor holdeth the Catholike faith effectually The decretall Epistles also they number with the Canonical scriptures And Pope Agathe saith that all the sanctions and decrées of their Romish Sea are to bee taken as stablished by the diuine voice Which blasphemies who can abyde For heereby they make both the Scriptures imperfect and not so content doe further adde vnto those Scriptures Wherein they commit two notable sinnes first accusing the sacred and canonical scriptures that they containe not al matters necessary to saluation which is directly contrary to the testimonie of S. Iohn who saith that these things are written that ye may beleeue that in beleuing ye may haue life eternal and cleane contrary to the testimonie of Saint Paul who saith That the Scriptures giuen by diuine inspiration are profitable to reproue to teach to correct to instruct and perfect the man of God 2. Tim 3.15 Ergo the Scriptures or word of God written is a true sound and perfect whole doctrine containing in it selfe fully all things néedfull for our saluation Yea Saint Paule saith expressely to Timothie That the Scriptures are able to make him wise vnto saluation 2. Tim. 3.13 And therefore the Church of Rome béeing cleane contradictorie dooth marueilously erre and therefore also we néed none of theyr vnwritten traditions And againe how should we bée assured that those traditions which they call Apostolicall be Apostolicall considering them not written by the Apostles Augustine speaking hereof saith thus Si qua retinuit Iesus Christus quis nostrum dicet hoc vel illud esse Et si quis hoc dicat quomodo probabit That is If Iesus Christ haue kept any thing close which of vs shall say that it is this or that And if anie say it is this how wilâ— hee proue it For all the errors of the Church of Rome shrowd themselues vnder the harbour of traditions And Chrysostom saith flatly whatsoeuer is requisite for our saluation is conteined in the Scriptures And againe hee saith All thinges bee cleare and plaine in the Scriptures and whatsoeuer thinges be needfull be manifest there And Ierome in the prologue of the Bible to Paulyne after hée had recited the bookes of the new Testament and the old saith thus I pray thee deare brother among these liue muse vpon these know nothing else seeke for none other thing And againe vpon the bookes of the olde and new Testament These writings be holie these bookes bee sound there is none other to bee compared to these whatsoeuer is beside these may in no wise bee receaued amongst these holy things And againe hée saith All other thinges which they seeke out or inuent at their pleasure without the authority testimony of the Scriptures as though they were the traditions of the Apostles the word of God cutteth off Let vs therefore stand fast to the written word of God and as for their traditions which they cannot prooue but obtrude vnto vs without testimonie of Scriptures let vs contemne them For as Athanasius saith the holy Scriptures inspired from God are sufficient to all instruction of the truth And as for the other point of the Papists in equalling and adding of their traditions their decretall Epistles and Canons to the pure and diuine word of God it is a blasphemy intollerable and who can indure it For doth not God say thus Yee shall put nothing to the word which I commaunde you neither take ought there from Deut. 4. And againe he saith whatsoeuer I commaund you that take heede yee doe onely to the Lord put nothing thereto not take ought therefrom And doth not S. Iohn in his Reuelation say that if any man adde to this thinge God shall adde vnto him the plagues which are written in this booke and shall take away his part out of the booke of life I conclude therefore that the Church of Rome which doth not content hir selfe with the sacred and Holie Scripture which the chast spouse of Christ euermore doth is not the true Church of God for there she sheweth hir selfe to beare the marke of a strumpet But when shée procéedeth and addeth hir owne traditions Decretall Epistles and Cannons to the word written and maketh them to be of as good and equall authoritie as the Canonicall and sacred Scriptures themselues What greater pride could haue bin shewed or what higher blasphemie But these are the right notes of an adulteresse to equall hirself with her husband Yea What should I say more They holde that the authoritie of the Church is aboue the Scriptures which sheweth fullie the notable pride and spirituall whoredome of their Church 2 The Church of Rome is Idolatrous and therfore it is not the true Church They fall downe before Idolls and Images as the heathen did and therfore commit Idollatrie as the heathen did I speake for the manner of their worship for the heathen how soeuer they worshipped not the true God yet they thought they worshiped the true God and their meaning was to worship the the true God in the Image or Idoll as the Papists likewise doo meane for they say they be not such fooles as to thinke or beléeue that an Image or Idoll made of wood or stone could bée God neither were the heathen so foolish as to thinke or beléeue that their Idolles or Images were God for they knew they were made of wood or stone or such like but as they tooke it they worshipped God in the Image as the Papists say they doo and therefore the case for the manner of worship is all
haue erred or may erre then they yéeld their cause in this behalfe I wish they would for their owne sakes for false Iesuits Seminaries doo but deceaue themselues others to their owne confusion in this world and except they repent in the world to come That generall Counsels may erre is manifest by Augustine who plainly teacheth that only the Scriptures cannot erre al other writers may erre Prouinciall Counsels may erre lastly hée saith Concilia quae fiunt ex vniuerso orbe Christiano priora posterioribus sape emendari cum aliquo experimento rerum aperitur quod clausum erat cognoscitur quod latebat That generall Councels which are gathered of all the Christian worlde are often corrected the former by the latter when by any triall of things that is opened which was shut and that is knowen which was hidden A generall Councell may be corrected saith Augustine Ergo it may erre And therfore Augustine speaketh plainly to Maximinian the Bishop of the Arrians Neither ought I to alledge the Councel of Nice nor thou the Councel of Arrimine to take aduantage thereby for neither am I bound nor held by the authoritie of this nor thou of that Set matter with matter cause with cause or reason with reason trie the matter by the authoritie of Scriptures not proper witnesses to any of vs but indifferent witnesses to vs both In the time of Constantine that Christian Emperour was the first and last Counsell of Nice wherin according to our Créede was decréed that Christ was God as well as man In the time of Constantius Constantinus sonne fauouring the errour of the Arrians it was decréed in the Counsell of Arimine that Christ was not God but onely man This Counsell of Arimine did erre and that grosely in a matter of faith Ergo it is palpable that a generall Counsel may erre euen in matters of faith Againe generall Counsels haue béene contrary one to the other and that in matters of faith as the Counsell of Constantinople condemned the setting vp of Images in the Church and the Counsell of Nice afterward allowed Images One of their being contrary must néeds be errours Ergo A generall Counsell may erre The generall Counsell confesseth of it selfe that it may erre For the whole Counsell prayeth in the end of a generall Counsell in a set forme of praier that iâ— appointed to bée saide after euery Counsell namely that God would Ignorantiae ipsorum parcere errori indulgere Spare their ignorance and pardon their errour Ergo a generall Counsell may erre The Pope of Rome whom the Papists holde for head of their Church may erre Ergo their whole Church may erre Augustine proueth it erres Beatae memoria Innocentius Papa sine baptismo Christi sine participatione corporis sanguinis Christi vitam non babere paruulos docet Behold Pope Innocentius of blessed memory doth teach that yong childreÌ„ cannot be saued except they receiue the baptisme of Christ and also the communion of the body and blood of Christ. But this is taxed for an errour Ergo the Pope of Rome can erre and consequently the whole Church vnder him except perchaunce members haue a priuiledge aboue the head But what shall I néed to stand hereupon their owne Cannon law as is euident in the decrées doth say expressely that if the Pope bee found negligent of his owne and his brethrens saluation yea thogh he lead innumerable people by heaps to the deuill of hell no mortall man may presume to reproue him because he himselfe béeing to iudge all is to bée iudged of none nisi deprehendatur a fide deuius except he be found erring from the faith wherby it appeareth that they thought hee might erre in matters of faith or else that exception was put in in vaine But the Pope is no other than a man as also all the members of his Church bée and humanum est errare all men are subiect to errour Let euery man take héed how he trusteth the Pope or any man mortall for it is written Iere. 17. Maledictus homo qui in homine confidit Cursed is that man that putteth his trust in man And why because as the kingly Prophet Dauid saith Psa. 116. All men are liers in their wordes and sinners in their works But when the doctrine of that man of Rome and of his Church is in diuers things clâ—ane contrary to the expresse word of God who can denie but it is an apparant erring Church As when it stablished ignorance to bée the mother of deuotion which Christ calleth the mother of errour saying Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures Math. 22. â—9 Who can chuse but think that it hath no good meaning in it but purposed onely to build vy the pride of the Pope of his Cardinals Bishoppes Priests Monkes and other their ecclesiasticall men Christ biddeth the people to search the Scriptures Iohn 5 39. â—â—is Antichrist forbiddeth them saying it is perâ—lous it causeth schismes sectes and heresies as though they were wiser than Christ. Againe the Apostle Paule commandeth That the word of God should dwell plenteously in the people whereby they might teach themselues Collos. 3.16 But the Pope of Rome and his Church alloweth not plentifâ—l knowledge of the word in them yea ignorance is the knowledge that hee would desire them to haue Who would not iustly suspect such a Church such a Religion yea condemne it when to maintaine and continue their Church in errours they would haue none of the people to search any scriptures whereby they might bée discouered Thus the sillie Papistes whom I pittie are lead like blind men they knowe not whither and with their implicita fides which is to beléeue for their part they know not what are lamentably seduced It is good themselues should sée know what they beléeue and that their faith and beléefe be right least at last they be through euer much trust of their teachers extremely deceiued The people of Berca were highly commended and it is noted to their praise that they searched the scriptures to sée whether those thinges were true or no which Paule himselfe teached Acts 17. For whosoeuer he bee yea though it were an Angell from heauen if hée teach matters contrary to the doctrine of the holy canonical scriptures we are to held him accursed yea and accursed againe as the Apostle of Christ Iesus S. Paule commandeth Gal. 1.8.9 Againe the Church of Rome when it taught and holdeth that the Scriptures were to bee made vnto the people or congregation in an vnknowne tongue what were the people the wiser Saint Paule would haue all thinges owne to ediffyng in the Church For sayth Saint Paeule Is qui supplet locum indoctiquomodo dicturus est Amen ad tuam gratiarum actionem quaâ— do quidem quid dicas nescit How shall hee that supplyeth the place of an vnlearned man saye Amen to thy thankes giuing when hee vnderstandeth not what thou
sayest 1. Corinth 14. And in that whole Chapter bee vtterly disliketh seruice in an vnknowne tongue And therefore if the Church of Rome will not confesse their errour heerein she is past all shame and hath the impudent and shamelesse face of an harlot They haue all deuised and defende a place of Purgatorie wherein all that depart this life bée put and there punished béeing a punishing fire vntill they helpe to fetch them out with theyr Masses and other their inuentions and deuises which they wil not do nor thinke they haue reason to doe except they haue good currant coyne for the same And therefore it may bee well and iustly called Purgatorie pickepurse and it is manifestly apparant héereby that wealth and great riches of the Clergie was the onely marke they ayuâ—ed at For it hath no warrant in the Canonicall bookes of the scriptures yea the Canonicall bookes of the scriptures shew the contrary and so do the ancient Fathers Christ in the Gospel Luk. 16. sheweth only but two places namely heauen and hell saying that the rich mans soule which was vnmercifull to Lazarus went after his death to hell there was tormented that Lazarus soule béeing dead was caried into Abrahams bosom a place of ioy and comfort To the Théefe which was executed at the passion and suffering of Christ and beléeued in him Christ answered Hodiâ— eris mocum in paradiso This day shalt thou bee with mee in paradise Luk. 23.43 Which sheweth that the soules of the faithfull neuer come in Purgatorie fire to be boyled and punished for all their sinne is forgiuen and consequently the punishment incident to the same is forgiuen also and their soules passe from death to life and into paradise a place of comfort delectablenes all swéetnes namely heauen where Christ is Verely verely I say vnto you saith Christ he that heareth my word beleeueth him that sent me hath eternall life and commeth not into condemnation but passeth from death to life Iohn 5.25 What is become then of this Purgatorie Saint Paule sayth I couet to be dissolued and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 shewing thereby that presently after his dissolution he was to bée with Christ in glorie For wee know saith hée that when this earthly tabernacle of ours is dissolued wee shall bee a building not made with hands but eternall in the heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 Saint Iohn in his Reuelation saith Blessed are the dead which die in the Lorde from henceforth they rest from their labours and their workes followe them Reu. 14.13 If from the time of their death they haue blessednes and rest as he sheweth then are they not in any Purgatorie fire to bée scortched and molested Saint Peter telleth the Saints and children of God and assureth them of it That the ende of their faith is the saluation of their soules 1. Pet. 1.9 If saluation of their soules begin at the end of their faith which lasteth vnto the end of their life and no longer for then they haue the fruition and possession of that which they beleeue and hope for then is it manifest there is no Purgatorie Ambrose saith Qui hic non receperit remissionem peccatorum illic non erit is in coelo quia remissio peccatorum vita aeterna est He that heere in this life receiueth not remission of sinnes shall neuer come in the kingdome of heauen for life eternall is remission of sinnes Cyprian saith Quando â—stine excessum fuerit nullus iam locus poenitentiae nullus satisfactionis effectus hic vita aut amittitur aut tenetur hic saluti aeternae cultu Dei fructu prouidetur And againe by and by he saith Tu sub ipso licet exitu vitae temporalis occasu pro delictis Deum roges quiverus vnus est venia datur confitenti credenti indulgentia salutaris ad immortalitatem sub ipsa morte transitur That is when men are once departed hence there is then no more place of repentance no effect of satisfaction heere life is eyther lost or kept heere prouision is made for eternall saluation by the worship of God fruits And thâ—refore saith he Doe thou call vpon God though it be at thy last gaspe and departure of this thy temporall life but call vpon that God which is one and true pardon is giuen thee if thou confesse thy sins and sauing forgiuenes if thou beleeue and from death presently thou shalt passe to immortalitie Ierome saith that the time of sowing their sáede for Christians is this present life that as soone as this life is ended they reape euerlasting life Augustine saith Primum fides catholicorum diuina authoritate regnum esse crescit calorum secundum gehennam vbi omnis Apostata vel a Christi fide alienus supplicia experitur Tertium peniâ—us ignoramus nec esse in scripturis sanctis reperimus The first place saith hee the faith of Catholickes doth by diuine authoritie beleeue to bee the kingdome of heauen the second hell a third place we are vtterly ignorant of neyther can we find any such in the holy scripturs And the same Augustine writeth in another place That they which beleeue a purgatory fiâ—e are much deceiued and that through an humane conceit How then can the Papistes be the true Catholicks which beléeue not the faith of the Catholicks which Augustine doth affirme They also hold that a man since the fall of Adam batl frée will of himselfe of his own power to câ—me vnto God and to do things acceptable wel pleasing in his sight Whereas God saith after that time that the imaginations of mens harts are onely euil euery day Gen. 6. If they be onely euill then haue they of themselues no affection to goodnes acceptable to him And Christ saith no man can come vnto me except my Father draw him Iohn 6.44.65 If her must bee drawne before he can come hee hath no procliuitie or willingnes of himself to come And therfore is it that the Prophet saith Conuert thou me and I shall bee conuerted Ier. 7. shewing that hee hath no power in himselfe to be conuerted And S. Paule sheweth that till God giue grace there is none that doth good no not one Rom. 3.10 c. For all the philosophicall vertues good deeds which men doe before they haue faith which is the gift of God are sinne not acceptable to God Iohn 6.29 For the Apostle witnesseth that without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 and that whatsoeuer is not of â—aith is sin Rom. 14.23 Christ himself again saith that except men be ingrafâ— into him they can bring foorth no fruit Iohn 15.1.2 c. Paule often teacheth that wee must be new men cast off the olde man Rom. 1.2 â— And againe hee biddeth to be renewed in the spirit of our minds 1. Cor. 2.14 And moreouer hee saith that the naturall man perceiueth not the thinges that
the Passeouer and yet was but a signe and remembraunce of their Passeouer so the bread was called his bodie and yet it was but a signe and remembraunce of his bodie And that this is the right exposition may appéere by the wordes of Christ where hee sayth Doe this in remembrance of mee Luke 22.19 Tertullian likewise doth so expound them for hee saith Christ said Hoc est corpus meum id est figura corporis meâ— This is my body that is a figure of my bodie Augustine likewise saith Christi miranda patientia adhibuit Iudam ad conuinium in quo corporis sanguinis sui figuram discipulis tradiditâ— The admirable patience of Christ admitted Iudas to the banquet wherein he deliuered to his Disciples a figure of his body bloud And againe hee saith Non dubitauit Dominus dicere hoc est corpus meum eum daret fignum corporis sui The Lord doubted not to say this is my bodie when he gaue but the signe of his bodie And this exposition must néedes bée true for Saint Paule saith plainely and expressely 1. Cor. 11.26.28 That the Communicant doth eate breade Ergo it remaineth bread after the wordes of consecration For if it were transubstantiance into the body of Christ then were there no bread to eate but the bodie of Christ is the thing that should bée eaten But none doo eate the verie bodie of Christ for if euerie Communicant did eate the verie bodie of Christ naturally carnally and really as they grossely suppose Christ should haue a number of bodies which inpalpably absurd and monstrous and beside then euerie Communicant should bée saued yet euen Iudas himselfe which is knowne to bée the châ—â—â— of pâ—rdition for Christ saith He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life Iohn 6.54 Indéede the elect and godly do eat Christ and drinke Christ but how not carnally but spiritually and by a true faith apprehending Christ and applying Christ with all his benefites as firmly vnto their soules as the bread and wine is applyed to their bodies Bâ—â—â—des if Christ gaue his body to bée eaten really by his Disciples at the time of the Institution of this Sacrament what was it that did hang on the crosse on the morrow Moreouer Saint Peter saith Act. 3.21 that as touching the bodie of Christ the Heauens must conteine him vnto the ende of the world If his bodie bée in heauen and that hée hath a true bodie as all men know he hath how can it be that hée should be both in heauen and in earth as touching his bodie at one time For though hée haue a glorified bodie yet hée reteineth the nature and propertie of a true bodie still which can bée but in one place at once And so saith Augustine saying Corpus Domini in quo resurrexit vno tantum loce esse potest The bodie of the Lorde wherein hee rose againe can bee but in one place onely But the Papists to helpe themselues are driuen to this to say that there is a miracle in the Sacrament and that Christ is there miraculouslie Whereto I answere that if the breade bée turned into the verie bodie of Christ by a miracle then should it appeare visibly so for the nature of euerie miracle is to be visible to the outward eie and senses as when Christ turned water into wine it was visibly wine When Moses rod was turned into a Serpent it was visibly a Serpent And so if the breade bée turned into the verie bodie of Christ it is visibly his bodie if you will hold a miracle to be wrought therein But Augustine answereth there is no miracle in the Sacrament saying thus Honorem tanquam Religiosa poscunt habere stuporem tanquam mira non poscunt The Sacraments may haue honour as thinges religious but they are not to be admired at as miracles Theodoret also is most expressed against Transubstantiation for thus he saith Neque enim signa â—istica post sanctificationem recedunt à natura sua manent enim in priore substantia figura forma videri tangi possunt sicut prius That is The mysticall signes after consecration doe not depart from their nature for they abide stil in their former substance figure and forme and may be both seene and felt as before Gelasius a Pope himselfe doth say most plainely that there is no transubstantiation in the Sacrament his words be these Non desinit substantia vel natura panis viui certe Imago similitude corporis sanguinis Christiin actione miseriorum corporis Christi celebratur The substance or nature of bread and wine doth not cease and verily there is the image and similitude of the bodie and blood of Christ celebrated in the action of the misteries of the bodie of Christ. And therefore I conclude that the Church of Rome which now is is not the same which it was in former times but it is become degenerate and reuolted from that former puriâ—â—â— which once was in it And conseqâ—â—ntly it is expressely manifest that that Church both may and doth erre The Church of Rome doth further holde that their Pope hath authoritie to depose kinges and Princes But by what Title It is cleare that in his either so dooing or attempting to doo hée is both a notable Traitour vnto God whose authoritie hée doth claime and arrogateâ— and vnto Princes to whome hée should bée subiect For the raising and pulling downe of Princes God hath reserued to himselfe alone and in his power For it is hee not the Pope that deposeth the mightie from their seates and exalteth them that are of lowe degree Luke 1. It is hee not the Pope that putteth downe Kings and giueth Kingdomes to whomsoeuer hee will And it is hee that testifieth of himselfe saying Per me Reges regnant principes dominantur By mee Kinges raigne and Princes beare dominion Dan. 2.20 cap. 4.14 22. Séeing therefore It is God that hath this high authoritie proper to himselfe which way can the Pope claime it without iniurie and treason vnto God Will hée claime it by reason of his keyes and in his Apostolicall right That hée cannot doo For hée must remember that the keies giuen were the keies of the kingdome of heauen Math. 16.19 And therefore by authoritie of the keies hâ—â— cannot meddle with terrestriall kingdomes to open an entrance for any into them or to shut out or exclude any that bée in them And beside Saint Paul the Apostle doth say expressely both of himselfe and of the rest of the Apostles that how great authoritie soeuer they haue for the ouerthrowing of â—â—â—ang holds that is of rebellious thoughts and proude cenceâ—â—â—â— and stiffenecked opinions seated in mens harts against God as himselfe expoundeth in the same place that all their power and meanes to conuert men is onely by the sword of the spirit which is the word of God and by the power of
the keyes committed to them In all which their authority giuen vnto them from Christ hée confesseth plainely 2. Cor. 10.4 That the weapons of their warfare are not carnall but mighty through God that is spirituall Which words doo demonstrate that by their ecclesiasticall ministerie they haue cléerely no ciuill authoritie committed to them And moreouer it is manifest by the practise of the Apostles and all their precepts commaunding all Christians to obay their Rulers their Kinges and Princes yea though they were persecutors that the Apostles neuer had any such authoritie committed to them Rom. 13.1.2.3.4 1. Pet. 2.13 Tit. 3.1 And therefore it is vndoubtedly true that the Pope of Rome cannot claime it by any such authoritie Againe the Bishop of Rome can claime no more authoritie by the power of the keies or of binding and loosing than any other Bishop elsewhere may doo for the keyes that is to say the power of opening and shutting and of binding and loosing Iohn 20.22.23 were giuen to all the rest of the Apostles as well as to Peter And consequently for any Minister of the Gospell thereby to claimâ— authoritie aboue another is absurd For they bée all indifferently ioined in one commission and therefore haue al equall authoritie therefore the Bishop of Rome by vertue of the keies hath no more authority than any other Bishop hath That is to say none at all to depose Princes their duetie is rather to practise obedience themselues to them and to teach the same obedience to others as the Apostles of Christ did Yea Christ himselfe said his kingdome was not of this world Ioh. 18.36 Himself likewise refused to bée made a king Ioh. 6.15 Himselfe paid tribute vnto Caesar and commaunded others to giue the same and all other dueties of subiection and obedience vnto Caesar Math. 22.21 If hée were subiect to Caesar it is a shame for the Bishop of Rome to exalt himselfe aboue Caesar. But perchaunce the Bishop of Rome will challenge this his Soueraigne Authoritie ouer Princes by donation from Constantine or some other Christian Emperour Indéede such Fables sometimes hée is not ashamed to vtter but let it bée the strongest way for him if you will that some Christian Emperour was so foolish as to giue him his Empyre which is neither likely nor credible yet sâ—y I it was neither lawfull nor tollerable for him to take it if hee will bée a Minister of the Gospell or a Successour of the Apostles For Christ hath expressely forbidden his Apostles and in them all the Ministers of his Gospell all such dominion and ciuill iurisdiction saying thus vnto them The Kings of Nations raigne ouer them and they that be great amongst them beare rule or dominion But it shall not bee so with you Matthew 20 25.26 Marke 10.42.45 Luke 22.25 and 26. verses Which wordes bée most prohibitorie and shewe that they may not raigne like kings of Nations nor beare rule as great men in those Nations doo But they must serue in the Church and bée diligent to discharge that great charge in the Church which their Master Christ Iesus hath laide vppon them And therefore euery way the Pope of Rome hath no title but is herein an vsurper and an intruder and a notorious and odious Traitor both to God and Princes And besides all the auntient Churches haue affirmed and acknowledged the supreame authoritie of Princes aboue and ouer all both Priests and people And therefore saith Tertullian Colimus Imperatorem vt hominem à Deo secundum solo Deo minorem VVe honour the Emperour as the next man to God and inferiour to God onelie And againe hée saith that Princes are A Deo secundi post cum primi ante omnes super omnes The second to God the first next after God and before and ouer all men Optatus in like sort saith Super Imperatorem non est nisi solus Deus qui fecit Imperatorem There is none aboue the Emperour but God onelie which made the Emperour And Chrysostome saith Parem vllum super terram non habetâ— He hath no equall on earth And Gregory Bishop of Rome himselfelf affirmeth That power is giuen to Princes from heauen not onely ouer souldiers but priests And therefore I conclude that the Church of Rome which now is is not the Church which once it was but is wonderfully fallen into corruption and growne into pride both against God and his annointed Prince and consequently not onely may erre but dooth erre and that most detestably and abhominably in the highest degrée The Bishop of Rome dooth further holde that hee hath authoritie from God to forgiue sinnes therevpon hee sendeth foorth his Charters of pardon his Buls and Indulgences to such as hée meaneth to assoyle The Scribes in the Gospell could say None can forgiue sinnes but God Mar. 2.7 Iob 14.4 Esay 43.25 If therefore the Pope of Rome will take vpon him to forgiue sinnes in that sort hée dooth hée must proue himselfe to bée God otherwise his actions will not bée warranted how often in the Scriptures is it said of God that hée forgiueth iniquity and transgressions ascribing that authority only to God and to no other I néed not recite any particular places the whole booke of God is plentifull héerein I doo not denie but Ministers of the Gospell haue power to binde and to loose sinners as Christ himselfe sheweth Math. 16. but how and whome They can neither iustifie the vnrighteous whom God abhorreth nor yet condemn the godly and faithfull whome God dearely loueth In as much therefore as they cannot pardon such as God condemneth nor yet condemn such whom God acquiteth Rom. 8.33.34 it is manifest that al their power of binding and loosing sinners is limited and bounded within the compasse of Gods word which they may not passe for if they doo they goe beyond their warrant and so all that they doo will bée of no force The incredulous and obstinately wicked persons they may by warrant of Gods word pronounce condemnation against except they doo repent and to the assuredly faithfull repentant and godly persons whose centinuall care is to please God and walke in his waies they may pronounce the sentence of vndoubted and certaine saluation because the worde of God doth affirme as much and this all the binding and loosing of sinners which they haue For in all their pronunciations of pardons and forgiuenesse of sinnes they must bée sure they speak not in their own names nor their owne wils and pleasures but they must doo it in the name of God béeing first assured that it is his word will pleasure which they vtter But the Bishop of Rome obserueth not the rule of Gods word to sqare measure his pardoÌ„ by but pardoneth whom he lift as hee list as if he were a God himselfe hauing absolute power in himselfe without respect of Gods word or will to doo what he list Insomuch as Traitors rebels against God
continuall intercession cannot possiblie be the true Church 6 The Papists in words will not denie but Christ is a King which hath all power in heauen and in earth But indéed it appeareth they doe exile and banish him out of his kingdome or at least leaue him but a small portion or rather none at all for in respect that hee is a spirituall King and the King of his Church he is also as Saint Iames speaketh the only law giuer thereunto and therefore-by his lawes only the Church is to be gouerned which they cannot abide for they adde their Popish cannons constitutions and customes whereby they will haue the Church gouerned yea they wil haue these take place though they vtterly displace the word of God for the maintenance of them Secondly Christ onely is to raigne in the consciences of men and yet the Pope claimeth power to binde mens consciences by his lawes statutes and decrees Thirdly hee claimeth most traiterously to be the head of the whole vniuersall Church which title by way of prerogatiue is giuen and attributed onely to Iesus Christ to whome it onely appertaineth But before I procéed anye further herein I demaund of the Pope and Papists when by what right he their proud Pope taketh vp on him this title to be head of the Church or vniuersall Bishop ouer all the Christian world by vertue of which title he taketh vpon him to rule as he list to doe what he list First to claime it as successor to Peter is impossible for that Peter the Apostle neuer had any such title prehemince or authoritie ouer the rest of the Apostles It is true that Christ sayd to Peter after hée had confessed Christ to be that Christ the sonn of the liuing God Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church These wordes hitherto giue no superioritie to Peter aboue the rest only they shew that the Church is builded non super Petrum sed super Petram not vpon the person of Peter but vpon the rocke and vpon what rocke namely vppon that Christ Jesus whom Peter confesseth to bée the sonne of the liuing God For that confession of Peter concerning Iesus to bée that Christ the sonne of the liuing God is the rocke whereupon the Church is builded for as Saint Paull expoundeth and affirmeth Other foundations can no man lay but that which is laid already namely Iesus Christ And in another place hée saith expressely that that rocke was Christ And Christ himselfe affirmeth likewise that he that heareth his wordes and doth them is likened to one that buildeth his house vpon a rocke shewing thereby that he and his words Doctrine be the rocke against which the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile Agreeably whereunto speaketh Saint Paull againe when hee saieth that the Church is builded vppon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ Iesus himselfe beeing the head stone in the corner Where then shall wee finde that Peter was made Prince of the Apostles to rule ouer all the rest as the Pope now doth The Papists answeare that in the next wordes when Christ gaue vnto Peter by speaciall name the keyes of binding loosing he thereby made Peter the Pâ—ince vniuersall Bishop of the whole Church But hereunto I say that Christ therein gaue no authoritye more to Peter than to the rest that is at this time The keyes were not giuen to him nor to the rest only there was a promise that they should be giuen for the wordes be not in the present tense Do tibi I giue vnto thee But in the future tense Dabo tibi I will giue vnto thee which promise of Christ was afterward truely performed and when it was performed the keyes that is the power of binding and loosing sinners was giuen not onely to Peter but to Peter and all the rest together as Saint Iohn in his Gospell cléerely declareth and avoucheth Now because Peter was the man that gaue answeare for himselfe and the rest and so both Cyprian and Augustine doe expound and declare it And therefore neither in the promise of the keyes nor yet in the receit of the keyes by Peter did he receaue any more authoritie or superioritye than the rest of the Apostles did I grant he was called Primus because he was of the first that was called to the Apostleship or because hee was the first of all the Apostles that confessed Christ to be the Messias and Sonne of the liuing God or because hée was readiest alwaies to speake and answere But all this doth not proue that hee had authoritie ouer the rest or a larger Commission than the rest Yea the words of their Commission doe shew the contrarie namely that they had all equall authoritie for it was thus made vnto them all indifferently without putting a difference namely Goe ye and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you Math. 28.19.20 Runne ouer all that remaineth written and you shall finde that Peter was one of the twelue equall with the rest and their fellow but not their Lord Where was Peters superiority when Paul reprooued him to his fate Gallathians the second Chapter and the eleauenth verse when béeing accused hée pleadeth no priuiledge but for the clearing of himselfe and satisfaction of others hée aunswereth to that accusation Where was Peters authority ouer the rest when the rest sent him and Iohn into Samaria Acts the eleauenth Chapter the third and fourth verses and also in Acts the eighth Chapter and the fourtéenth verse In that hée went at their sending hée plainely sheweth that hée had no principalitie ouer them Where was his preheminence or authority when in a Councell held at Ierusalem where the Apostles were yet not Peter but Iames ruled the action and according to his sentence was the Decrée made Luke 22.25.26 c. Yea I say moreouer that when there was contention amongst the Apostles who should bée chiefe amongst the Christ told them plainely that kings of Nations might beare rule ouer their people and that great men vnder those kinges might likewise exercise authoritie ouer other but so might not they doe one ouer another Luke 25.26 c. But the greatest amongst them should be as the least as a seruant yea should bee the least and should be a seruant as it is declared in Matthew 20.25 26 and in Marke 10.42 43. If the greatest must be as the least what authoritie hath hée aboue the least For then hath the least as great authoritie as the greatest That is they bene all equall authoritie I meruaile therefore what the Pope and Papists meane contrary to the tenour of the Commission of Christ contrary to the practise of Peter himselfe and contrary to this decrée made by Christ of their equallity to say notwithstanding that Peter
was Prince of the Apostles and had authoritie ouer them all when as indéede it is manifest by all the Scriptures and course of his life he neither claimed nor had any authoritie ouer the rest more than the rest had ouer him and consequentlye the Pope of Rome can neuer claime that as successour to Peter which was neuer in Peter his supposed predecessour The Papists perceauing that the scriptures make nothing for them but against them because they would haue the matter coloured with some Antiquitie or shew of Antiquitie at the least haue deuised some counterfet and forged Authors as Amacletus and Amissetus and such like to speake somethinge for them But the falsehood of all those is discouered by other writers if they bee well marked In Cyprians time it was déemed a matter odious for any to take vpon him to be a Bishop of Bishops as appeareth by that voice which he cryed in the Counsaile of Carthage It was likewise decréed in the Affricans Counsell that none should be called Prieste of Priests or Archpriest or any such like The Counsel of Nice did decrée that the Bishop of Rome should kéepe himselfe within the compasse of his prouince and not excéed his bounds as likewise the Bishop of Antioch Ierusalem and Constantinople were â—â— doo the like Other Councells did affirme as much which because they are sufficiently knowne I néede not to recite But they all shewe that at those times the Bishop of Rome had no greater Jurisdiction than within his owne Prouince and that hée coulde not meddle within the Prouinces of other Bishops And Ierome of his time sayth that the Bishoppe of Engubium or any other the least Sea is equall to the Bishop of Rome The Title of Uniuersall Bishop was much desired of John Bishop of Constantinople and much contention there was about it But it was neuer obtained of the Bishop of Rome vntill the time of Boniface the third who procured that Title of Phocas that wicked Emperour of Rome after which the Bishops of Rome neuer ceased still to augment their dignitie and increase the pride of their Romish Sea And euen at that very first time when John Bishop of Constantinople sought to get that Title of Uniuersall Bishop to his Sea Gregorie then Bishoppe of Rome did himselfe stand against it mightily and affirmed that hée could bée no lesse than Antichrist whosoeuer did take vnto him that Title First therefore it is manifest that vntill the time of Gregorie Bishop of Rome an vniuersall Bishop was not heard of in the Church and Boniface the thirde was the first Bishop of Rome that got this title which was aboue 600. yeares after Christ. And besides how will the Bishop of Rome that now is avoid himselfe to be Antichrist Sith by the expresse determination of Gregorie Bishoppe of Rome his predecessour hée is condemned for Antichrist in as much as hée hath this Title and is not ashamed thereof For what is this else but to come in the place of Christ and consequently to bee Antichrist vsurping the prerogatiue Title of Christ Jesus But the Pope saith that though hée claime thus to bee the heade of the Church yet hee doth not name himsâ—lfe to bee otherwise than a Ministeriall head to bée Christs Vicar on earth But why will he be so arrogant as to challenge this Title without â—â—â—full â—onueyance made vnto him from Christ which hee cannot show For who dare take vppon him to bée a â—iâ—uetenant to an earthly Prince without Sâ—stâ—rs Pattents first had from the Prince Againe the Church of Christ on earth being as a chast Spowse to her Husband and head Christ Iesus neither can or ought to acknowledge any other for her head than that her husband to whom shée hath plighted her troth Lastly there can bee no successour but when the Predecessour is gone and absent but Christ is alwaies presente with his Church according to his owne words Beholde I am with you to the ende of the world Matthew 28.20 And therefor hée can haue neither Successour nor Vicar to represent his person or to guide his Church For his spirit since his bodily ascention is the guide and gouernesse of the Church in his roome Iohn 14. 15. 16. For no man mortall is appointed thereunto I conclude therefore that for all these causes the Church of Rome can not possibly be the true Church 7 The Church of Rome doth not ascribe Justification to faith in Christ Iesus onely but saith that mens works be meritorious and to them partly is Iustification to bée ascribed and so they make mens imperfect works to be causes of saluation which is a grosse errour euen in the foundation or fundamental point Saint Paul saith That all are iustified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24 If they be Iustified gratis freely as hée affirmeth then are they Iustified withoot any desert of theirs And Saint Paul setteth downe the Axiome in the Conclusion VVee holde that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law Rom. 3.28 And the Apostle in very many places whereof mention shall hée made hereafter doth expressely exclude Weekes from being any causes of our Iustification 〈◊〉 indéede they are the effects thereof And therefore it appeareth to bée a true position that Faith onely doth Iustifie in as much as Iustification is in the sight of God imputed to our Faith not to our Workes For Abraham beléeued God and that was imputed to him for righteousnes as Paul speaketh Rom. 4.8 And hée sheweth that Abraham was not iustified by Works before God for if Abraham were iustified by works then should hée haue wherein to glory but not before God and because hée had not wherein to glory before God therefore hée was not iustified in the sight of God I graunt that saint Iames in his seconde Chapter doth say that Abraham was iustified by his Works when hée offered vp his Son Isaac at Gods commaundement And likewise that hée saith that a man is iustified by Works and not by Faith onely But before whom is hée iustified by Works Not before God but before men that is to say his works doo declare vnto men that saith whereby hée is iustified before God And that this is the meaning of saint Iames may appeare by that his saying where he saith Shew vnto me thy Faith by thy VVorks thou saiest thou hast faith that is not inough thy words doth not proue it thy works will therefore saith hee shew me thy faith by thy workes This word Shew mee doth manifest what manner of iustification hée speaketh off namely that he speaketh of a iustification before men For it is God that respecteth the faith of a man whereby onely hée is iustified in his sight And it is men which respect the workes whereby indéede they testifie vnto the world their faith to be good before God For as saint Iames saith truely faith without works is but a dead faith and not good nor found nor
himself aboue God inasmuch as there is lesse danger and punishment for any that breaketh any of Gods lawes than for one that breaketh any the least constitution of the Pope Moreouer He claimeth authoritie in three places Heauen Earth and Purgatorie and that is the reason he weareth a triple Crowne so that by this account and claime he hath more and larger extended authoritie than God himselfe for such a third place as purgatorie is hee knoweth not of And what do these things but manifest him to exalt himselfe euen aboue God and all that is worshipped 3 Antichrist is described to bee such done as should come in lying signes and false miracls and wonders 2. Thes. 2.9 whereby if it were possible he would deceaue the verie elect And that this is verified in the Pope and Popish Church as all men knowe that haue béene acquainted with their knaueries deceits and fraudes so let their Aurea Legenda and booke of Trophes testifie to the whole world 4 S. Paul 2. Thes. 2.8 Sheweth by his name that he that he speaketh of should be O'anomos that is a lawles person or one subiect to no law which is also manifestly verified in the Pope for no lawes will hold him neither diuine nor humane for he claimeth to bée aboue them all and to change and alter what he list and when he list and to whome he list which the glose vpon the decretalls doth testifie saying thus of the Papists Legi non subiacet vlli that is He is not subiect to any law What is this els but to bée O'anomos a lawles person euen the very same whom Saint Paull speaketh of 5 Saint Iohn in his Reuelations doth portraye Antichrist his seat by the name of the great whore with whome haue committed fornication the kings of the Earth the Inhabitants of the Earth haue bin drunke with the wine of hir fornication This woman is that great Citie which hath dominion ouer the kinges of the earth at the time of this Reuelation as Saint Iohn expressely affirmeth Reuela 17.18 It is well knowne that there was then no other Cittie which raigned ouer the kings of the earth but only Rome And therefore Rome onely is and must néeds bée the Sea of Antichrist for no other can bée by this euident plaine description of Saint Iohn for Rome was the onely Citie of the worlde that raigned ouer the kings of earth the head whereof was then the Emperour but now the Pope for the condition of the first beast namely of the Romaine Empire ciuill is altred and changed into an Ecclesiasticall and Romaine Empire 6 Saint Iohn in his Reue. 13 1◠saw a beast rising out of the Earth which had two Houres like the Lambe but he spake like the Dragon then all that is spoken of this beast doth fitly and onely agrée to that man of Rome the Pope who though in shew he were the Lambe for what is more milde or humble than to call himselfe the seruant of the seruants of God Yet indéed he plaieth the part of the Dragon or Deuill hauing learned this cunning of Sathan who though he bée neuer so bad a spirit yet will transforme himselfe into an Angell of light to deceaue soules 2. Cor. 11.14 as the Apostle sheweth But héere is wisdome saith Saint Iohn in that Reuelation Let him that hath any wit count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man his number is 666. Now because the number of this wicked beast containeth sixe hundreth sixty sixe Ireneus thinketh that this Antichristian beast should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a man of Italie for the number of the beast is set downe in great letters and this Gréeke word Lateines doth make it vp the iust number of 666. which is the number of the beasts name If any doe thinke that though this Reuelation were written in Gréeke as being the more knowne and common language yet that it was vttered to Saint Iohn in Hebrew because the Hebrew tongue is the Holy tongue that Iohn himselfe was an Hebrew or Iew by nation and that likewise diuers Hebrew words are found in the Reuelation Whose opinion is not vnlikely but very probable then let him séeke out an Hebrew worde which containeth that iust number and herein be néedeth not to search far or to studie much vpon the matter for the Hebrew worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Romanus a man of Rome in English doth in those Hebrew letters containe the iust number of 666. which is the number of the name of that Antichristian beast And so by the number of the name to be accounted either by Gréeke letters or by Hebrew letters it is perfectly agreeing to that man of Rome the Pope all the markes agréeing to Antichrist whatsoeuer they be are found fully and onely accomplished in the Pope and therefore there is no doubt but he is that notable Antichrist of whō Paull and Saint Iohn in his Reuelation do testifie consequently the Church of Rome being not the true Church of Christ but contrarywise the visible Church of Antichrist is iustly forsaken and for euer to be forsaken of all Christians as they tender their saluation in Iesus Christ to whom onely they haue betrathed themselues and to whome they must remaine constant for euermore which God graunt vs all to doe Amen Against Schisme and Schismaticall Synagogues CHAP. VI. MAny there bée who of a godly and zealous minde do in good sort séeke for Reformation and for that Church gouerment which Christ himselfe hath instituted in his Church whome I neither dare nor do remoue others there bée that séeke Reformation amisse with venemous and 〈…〉 tongues railing and reuiling against those which with stand it which thinges doe neither grace themselues nor yet the cause which they would preferre other some there bée who to make the cause of reformation odious do say that it abolisheth hir Maiesties supreme gouerment authoritie in causes ecclesiasticall I would wish all men to speake the truth and to séeke the preferment of Gods truth in a dutifull peacable charitable sort let the cause be made no worse than it is for my part I desire no more then euery Christian ought namely that the truth of God should carrie the preheminence whatsoeuer it bee And I would to God that all malice and contention all of all parts would grow more charitablye affected both in their words and in their writings one towardes another for so would this controuersie sooner come to an end and the more speedily bée decided Others there bée who for that in so long time they cannot sée their desired discipline and Church gouerment to bée established runne from our Church and make a schisme and seperation from vs erecting Disciplne by their owne authoritie condemning our Church to bée no Church that they may make their detestable Scisme the more allowable these are the Brownists and Barrowists who will